


toy soldiers

by sapphfics



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Samurai
Genre: Child Abuse, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Gen, implied jayden/antonio kinda sorta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-25 21:01:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12541116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphfics/pseuds/sapphfics
Summary: “Don’t talk about Lauren like that!” Jayden explodes. It’s the first time he’s mentioned Lauren by name in weeks, but he will not let the only family he has left be disrespected like this. “She’s living up to our family’s legacy better than I ever could. She left me too, didn’t she?”Or, a few moments of the Rangers’ childhoods.





	toy soldiers

Jayden doesn’t remember his mother and his father leaves before he ever thinks to ask.

He only asks Mentor-Ji about them once, when he’s slicing into a tree and suddenly remembers Antonio asking him about his family and when Jayden tells him the truth, the whole truth, Antonio looks at him as though it’s the saddest thing he has ever heard.

“They were such fearless warriors,” Mentor Ji says. “Lauren was named after your mother, and you were named after your uncle. He was your father’s blue ranger. I can only hope that you and your sister live up to their legacies.”

“Don’t talk about Lauren like that!” Jayden explodes. It’s the first time he’s mentioned Lauren by name in weeks, but he will not let the only family he has left be disrespected like this. “She’s living up to our family’s legacy better than I ever could. She left me too, didn’t she?”

“You know that wasn’t their choice!” Mentor-Ji tells him, for what feels like the thousandth time. “They died for a good cause, to save the world and to save you.”

“I know.” Jayden replies, and goes back to training. He only hopes that he will die as heroically. Their destiny is all he has.

-:-

Mia is six years old, clutching a sword in her hand.

Sometimes she thinks about how she will be one of the only people able to defend the world from the demons who took her father so easily and wants to give up.

“Find something else to do that isn’t related to training,” Mia’s mother tells her. “That’s how I managed to stay sane.”

That is how Mia starts cooking. It’s at her mother’s suggestion, partly because she wouldn’t mind the help.

Besides, Mia will have to be a good wife to whomever she marries after her monsters are defeated, but evil will rise again as it always does, and she wants to be ready.

She cuts up a watermelon with a dagger and her mother watches on.

-:-

Mike watches his parents marriage almost fall apart because they push themselves to hard fighting, and that is the day he decides he will not become them.

He trains to be stronger than the two of them combined.

He will beat his monsters so well that they won’t come back to haunt him the way they haunt his mother’s nightmares, the way they keep the bags beneath his father’s eyes. They talk of Jayden’s father as though he is still listening, cursing them from the beyond for surviving when he did not.

Mike will not fail his team, and if they die, he will die with them.

-:-

The first time Kevin tries to swim, his father keeps his head under the water as a training exercise. He keeps it under for three minutes, and keeps adding more time until Kevin can hold his breath for five.

Kevin loves swimming because it helps him forget. He swims back and forth until his bones ache, his nose clogged, and he feels freer than this life will ever let him be.

His father disapproves of him doing anything but training, as he always does, until Kevin reminds him that it will help him should he ever find himself up to his neck in Sanzu River water, which is highly likely. He must be ready for anything, after all, and every second he is not training is a second wasted. His father only nods, dismissive, and Kevin has to stop himself from grinning.

His coach is impressed, but Kevin never lets him meet his father. His family never attend any of his swimming competitions and he keeps all of the trophies in a box beneath his bed.

It is not his destiny, but it’s a nice thought. Maybe in another life.

-:-

Emily knows she should never have been a Samurai.

This was her sister’s destiny, but Emily gave up any hope of a normal life when Serena collapsed on her own sword, clutching her stomach and screaming.

They never figure out what’s wrong, exactly. Her family refuses to take Serena to the hospital, saying medicine will obstruct her symbol power when she is better again. Serena has to grit her teeth and bare it, and Emily falls asleep listening to her sister sob.

“I can’t do this anymore Em,” Serena clutches her hand, tight. She looks so pale and Emily feels a chill run up her spine. “I can’t be what our parents want me to be. Do it for me, please. I’m begging you.”

“Serena,” Emily struggles to breathe. “You’re going to be okay.”

“Don’t lie to me!” Serena snaps. “Not now. You know I won’t get better. You need to take my place as the yellow Samurai ranger. You’re the only one I trust to do this. Promise me, Emily.”

“I promise.” Emily nods, trying not to cry. She won’t let her sister see her be weak. She is a Samurai now, and a Samurai is always strong. They have to be.

Serena smiles as she passes on, her hand growing cold in Emily’s own.

-:-

Antonio’s father almost laughs the day Antonio tells him he wants to join Jayden as a Power Ranger.

“Jayden believed in me!” Antonio says. “If the Earth is in danger, I can’t just stand by and do nothing!”

“Jayden was born into that life,” Antonio’s father explains. “We weren’t. Do you think they’ll accept you?”

He’s not being cruel, simply factual.

“They will,” Antonio swears. “I know they will. I’ll train so hard that they’ll have to accept me. Besides, Jayden already likes me, right?”

“He does. Good luck,” his father says and means it. “I’ll help you in any way I can. I might not be a Samurai, but I do know some things.”

“I know you do,” Antonio hugs him. “Thank You, Dad. For being there for me.”

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” his father says. “I hope you and Jayden will be happy together.”

It takes years for Antonio to understand exactly what he means.

**Author's Note:**

> idk what this is but im sad and i love these kids and i wanted to explore how fucked up their childhoods must’ve been. sorry if this sucked!
> 
> anyway i might do a dayu/mia fic next because that should be A Thing idk anyway it’s late i’m going to sleep bye !!


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